As is known, the doors of motor vehicles generally comprise a top frame portion, which defines a window closed by a moving glass, when raised, and a box-like bottom portion formed by an external panel and an internal panel joined together, at one end, by an end edge and defining between them a compartment, in which there are commonly housed the glass of the window, when this is lowered, and various components fixed to the panels themselves, amongst which, for example, a lock. Frequently, the compartment in the door is divided, by an intermediate diaphragm that is impermeable to water, into a more internal dry region, delimited by the internal panel, and a more external damp region, i.e., a region that is subject to water and to atmospheric humidity, delimited by the outer panel and generally housing the glass of the window, when this is lowered.
In order to be able to interact with a lock striker fixed to a fixed upright of the door, traditional locks are generally mounted inside the damp region of the compartment of the door.
In particular, as is known, traditional locks basically comprise a closing mechanism, designed to couple, in a releasable way, with the lock striker in order to bring about closing of the door, and a mechanical actuating assembly designed to be connected to the manual-control elements associated to the door of the motor vehicle, such as, for instance, an internal handle and an external handle and designed for interacting with the closing mechanism for controlling opening thereof.
More precisely, the mechanical actuating assembly generally comprises: an opening assembly, which can be connected to the internal handle and to the external handle and is designed for interacting with the closing mechanism to bring about its release from the lock striker; a main safety device, which is available in one first and one second configuration, respectively for enabling and disabling opening of the closing mechanism from outside the motor vehicle (i.e., external-safety function activated and deactivated, respectively); and an auxiliary safety device, which can be activated selectively for disabling opening of the closing mechanism from inside the motor vehicle and thus obtain an internal-safety function, commonly known as “dead lock”.
Locks of the aforesaid type are known, which moreover comprise two or more electrical actuators, for example for controlling opening of the closing mechanism and for activating and deactivating the external-safety and internal-safety functions.
In order to obtain the said functions, it is obviously necessary for the lock to be equipped with electrical components for signalling and control, for instance, microswitches, as well as electrical-connection components.
Since, as has been pointed out previously, in order to be able to interact with the lock striker, the locks described are normally positioned inside the damp region of the compartment in the door, it is necessary to adopt a whole series of precautions in order to prevent contact of the locks with water from possibly jeopardizing their operation, such as, for example, the use of water-tight electrical components and actuators, which are decidedly more costly than similar components and actuators for which impermeability to water is not required.